Chapter 4

¹ Now Adam knew Eve his woman, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain (Acquired), and she said, “I have acquired a man with the help of The Sovereign, The Self-Existent.”

² Next, she gave birth to his brother Abel (Passing Breath). Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a cultivator of the soil.

³ And it came to pass over the course of time that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the soil to The Sovereign, The Self-Existent, The All-Powerful, Almighty One.

⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And The Sovereign, The Self-Existent, The All-Powerful, Almighty One looked with favor upon Abel and his offering;

⁵ but for Cain and his offering He had no favor. So Cain became exceedingly angry, and he became sullen and downcast.

⁶ Then The Sovereign, The Self-Existent, The All-Powerful, Almighty One said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why have you become sullen and downcast?

⁷ If you do well, will you not be lifted up? But if you do not do well, sin is a crouching beast at your doorway; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

⁸ Then Cain spoke to Abel his brother; and it came to pass when they were out in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slaughtered him.

⁹ Then The Sovereign, The Self-Existent, The All-Powerful, Almighty One said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

¹⁰ And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s spilled bloods is crying out to Me from the soil!

¹¹ So now, you are cursed from the soil, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s spilled bloods from your hand.

¹² When you cultivate the soil, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you shall be an unstable fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

¹³ Cain said to The Sovereign, The Self-Existent, The All-Powerful, Almighty One, “My punishment is too heavy to bear!

¹⁴ Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the soil, and from Your presence I shall be hidden; I shall be an unstable fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and it will come to pass that whoever finds me will slaughter me.”

¹⁵ Then The Sovereign, The Self-Existent, The All-Powerful, Almighty One said to him, “Therefore, whoever slaughters Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And The Sovereign, The Self-Existent, The All-Powerful, Almighty One set a mark on Cain, so that no one finding him would strike him down.

¹⁶ Then Cain went out from the presence of The Sovereign, The Self-Existent, The All-Powerful, Almighty One and settled in the land of Nod (Wandering), east of Eden.

¹⁷ And Cain knew his woman, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch; and Cain built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

¹⁸ To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.

¹⁹ Then Lamech took for himself two women: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah.

²⁰ Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock.

²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and the pipe.

²² As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of all tools of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

²³ Then Lamech said to his women:

“Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice;

you women of Lamech, give ear to my speech!

For I have slaughtered a man for wounding me,

and a boy for striking me.

²⁴ If Cain is avenged sevenfold,

then Lamech seventy-sevenfold!”

²⁵ And Adam knew his woman again, and she gave birth to a son and called his name Seth (Appointed), for she said, “The All-Powerful, Almighty One has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, because Cain slaughtered him.”

²⁶ To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time, people began to call upon the name of The Sovereign, The Self-Existent.